The Price We Pay
by Sullen Gurl
Summary: AU. Series of unrelated Riddick/Fry drabbles.
1. I'm With You

**I'm With You**

Summary: AU. _Riddick and Fry are on the run, together._

Rating: Mature.

* * *

Fry woke up with a start. It was pitch black and completely quiet. For a second, she forgot where she was. Instinctively, she reached out beside her, only to find a warm empty space on the bed. She sat up, clutching a sheet to her naked breasts.

"Riddick?" she called out, her voice rough from slumber.

"I'm here," came Riddick's deep gravelly voice, which even after all this time, never failed to send shivers up her spine.

She whipped her head towards him. By now, she had become adept at finding and recognizing Riddick in the dark. It proved to be a useful skill. He turned on the lamp by the chair where he sat, keeping the light at its dimmest. Fry rubbed her eyes and squinted at his silhouette.

"What are you doing up? Did you sleep at all?"

"I thought I heard something outside," he said, nodding towards the door to their room.

"And ... ?" she whispered.

He sighed. "And nothing. I checked. But whoever or whatever it was might come back."

Fry rolled her eyes. "You're being paranoid. No one knows we're here, you made sure of that. You ALWAYS make sure. I bet you searched this entire fucking building before deciding we could stay here." She patted the space on the bed next to where she sat. "Now come back to bed."

He turned and stared out the window, silent.

"Riddick?"

"We've been on this planet long enough," he said steadily, still looking out the window. "We better get a move on."

"Riddick, look at me," she told him. He finally, _reluctantly_ turned to face her.

In the year that they've been on the run together, moving from planet to planet, Fry had gotten very good at deciphering the enigma that is Richard B. Riddick. She's learned to search beneath his unflappable often-expressionless exterior; to read his eyes and interpret his body language and even the subtle shifts in the inflection in his voice. He only ever allowed himself to be vulnerable around her, a fact that she never took for granted. And right now, she could read fear and doubt in his eyes. He was afraid that maybe she had become too tired of running. That maybe _this_ time was finally the time she'd ask to be left behind. That maybe she'd finally come to her senses and realize that she didn't want to spend the rest of her life with him after all.

Fry smiled at him warmly, reassuringly. "Then we'll pack our things and we'll get going tomorrow," she said. "We'll move to wherever you want us to move."

His body relaxed and he smiled back at her, just as warmly, his eyes catching the glow from the lamp.

"Now that _that's_ settled," Fry purred, wanting nothing more than to take his mind off of his worries. "Would you mind taking your damn pants off and coming back to bed?"

... ...

"OHHHH, FUCK!"

When Riddick caught a glimpse of Fry's wanton smile, he surged into her a bit more forcefully, causing her to gasp and grab fistfuls of the sheet around her. He was never an overly vocal or expressive lover, but she knew just how to squeeze her muscles around his cock to drive him wild and elicit that kind of loud reaction from him.

Fry was down on her elbows and knees, the side of her face flat against a pillow, as Riddick pistoned into her relentlessly from behind. She felt drops of sweat from Riddick's chest trickle down her back, his fingers seeking purchase on her slippery hips.

"Oh God, don't stop, don't stop ..." Fry moaned, pleading, grinding her ass so far back into him she had her arms almost outstretched in front of her.

Riddick let out a guttural groan, falling forward and over her but keeping his weight on his elbows. He hooked his arms under her shoulders and doubled his efforts, withdrawing almost completely out of her before thrusting back in deeper and harder than ever before.

_Just a little … bit … more ..._

"Baby," he whispered in her ear, his voice strained and desperate. That was all it took to send Fry into her third orgasm of the night. Fry buried her face into the damp pillow to stifle her cries as she came, shuddering violently. Riddick held her tight from behind, still pumping his hips even as he groaned loudly and spilled hotly into her.

Fry lost track of how long it took before the pleasurable spasms that wracked her body subsided. She only hazily felt Riddick plant wet, hot kisses down her jaw and lick the sweat off her neck. And she _swore_ she heard him mutter _"… fucking sexy bitch will be the death of me …"_ before he rolled off her and onto his back with a satisfied grunt. She, too, flipped on her back, all her muscles aching in protest. The room was quiet again, save for their panting and the slight rustle of the sheets.

Fry had just enough energy to scoot closer to Riddick 'til their shoulders touched. They stared at each other, grinning, both still trying to catch their breaths. They were sweaty and sticky, and the sheets clung to their skin in a most uncomfortable way, but they couldn't care less.

It would be morning soon.


	2. Author's Notes!

Dear Readers,

First off, sorry for the delay on the updates. Second, there's been a ... *cough* ... change of plans.

This will no longer be a multi-chaptered long story; but will instead be a series of AU drabbles. All R/F, of course.

Sigh. Really sorry about that. I've outlined the entire story in my head, I promise you. But I couldn't quite transition from one scene to the next. (Trust me, I tried.) I haven't written in a while, so I've gotten rusty. And then I had this idea for a whole _other_ R/F story, and started writing that one. UGH.

So, yeah. Drabbles, then. Each chapter may or not be related to the previous one. I hope you don't mind, and I hope you'll still keep reading. I've already got a couple queued.

Thank you! :)

- SG


	3. Underneath It All

**Underneath It All**

Summary: Riddick and Fry are on the run, together.

Author's Notes: In the same universe as the first chapter.

* * *

Fry tucked in the remaining wisps of her blonde hair under the wig, and grinned at herself in the mirror. _Not bad_, she thought.

"Well?" she asked from inside the bathroom. "Think I look good as a redhead?"

"You always look good," Riddick answered distractedly, not even sparing her a glance. He was by their bed assembling one of his side arms, a heavily modified Walther GSP. Their other weapons were hidden under some clothes in one of their bags. He had also already changed into his disguise - long matted gray hair, a beard, and a heavy long cloak. He dumped their duffel bags on the floor and scanned the rest of the room for anything else he might have missed.

"Hey, you set?" he called out to her.

"Just a … second …" Her voice sounded strained.

Riddick stalked to the bathroom and smirked when he found Carolyn trying to reach behind her for the zipper to her top. He stepped close behind her, pinning her hips to the counter with his.

"Let me." He fiddled with the zipper and paused a beat to stare at her reflection. The long red hair and heavy gothic makeup made her practically unrecognizable; but that glint in her eyes, and the way the corner of her pretty mouth lifted in a wry smile - that was all undeniably Carolyn. _His_ Carolyn. The temptation pull the zipper all the way down was almost too much too bear, especially with the tiny bathroom still reeking of sweat and sex from earlier, when he half-bent her over the sink and made her watch him fuck her from behind. Recalling how she held his gaze in the mirror, unflinching and almost challengingly as he pounded into her, he felt a familiar stirring in his loins.

But daylight was burning, and they had a ship to catch. With a sigh, he zipped her up and kissed her chastely on the back of her head.

"Let's move."

Fry could only smile knowingly at the reflection of Riddick's retreating figure.

xxxxx

They had not walked more than 15 minutes when Riddick started to feel they were being followed. And he was usually right about these things. He nudged Fry, and with a jerk of his head, beckoned for her to follow him towards the busy public market.

Fry raised her eyebrow, but said nothing and followed. They had talked about crossing the desert and walking a good 10 more miles to get to the rendezvous point, but she's learned that a change of plans usually meant that someone – a bounty hunter, likely – was on their tail.

She quickened her steps to keep up with his as they weaved and turned through the stalls. It was still early, but luckily, the market was already bustling.

Just as they rounded a corner, a man seemingly appeared out of nowhere and crashed squarely into Fry, sending her tumbling in the dirt. In a flash, Riddick was on the man, hauling him off of her and slamming him against the nearest wall.

Just as quickly, Fry was up and off the ground, a hand on his arm.

"Hey, I'm okay," she told Riddick. "Let's just go."

"Watch where you're _**fucking**_ going,' he growled into the man's face before finally shoving him away. He looked back at Fry, fully prepared to see her rolling her eyes at him, but she was too busy dusting herself off.

He grabbed her hand and tugged her along.

xxxxx

Once Riddick was certain they had lost their tail, they quickly exited the market. He checked his watch. They were making good time, they'd make it. They were on the outskirts of town now; her hand still in his.

"How much farther?" she asked.

He noticed that despite her protestations, she looked pretty winded. He's sure that other duffel bag she stubbornly insisted on carrying didn't help. Hell, he'd happily give her a piggyback ride the rest of the way, but knowing Carolyn, she'd probably just tell him to fuck off. If there was anything he's learned (and loves) about her, it's that she doesn't do damsel-in-distress.

"3 more miles, tops," he answered, pointing ahead. "Just beyond that settlement,"

"Do you trust him?"

He looked at her as if to say she should already know the answer to that. "I don't trust anybody but you, Carolyn." Sighing, he continued, "But he's our best bet right now, and he hasn't done me wrong yet. Not when we were in Slam, and not since we've been out."

She simply nodded. His reassurance had always been good enough for her.

"Hey," Riddick said, squeezing her hand. "You know I'd never let anything happen to you, right?"

"Oh, I know." She leaned into him and gave his arm a quick kiss.

She also knew that however uncertain their future was, there was nowhere else she'd rather be.


	4. A Proposition

**A Proposition**

Summary: Someone from the past pays the new Lord Marshal a visit.

* * *

Riddick was _beyond_ furious.

Did she think she could get past him? Did she think he wouldn't fucking _recognize_ her? Her scent? Those stray wisps of dirty blonde hair that peeked out from under her hood? Even under the Necromonger robes, she stood out to him.

So as not to cause a scene, he remained stoic on his throne, even as every muscle in his body coiled tight, ready to spring.

"Bring her to me," he ordered one of the guards, pointing to a woman that stood to the side of the main hall.

Even from where he sat, he sensed the tension and hesitation in her body when the guards approached her, but she went. And once in front of him, she knelt at his feet, her head bowed down so as to keep her face hidden by the hood of her robe.

"What is your name?"

Silence, and then …

"My name is Arabella, Lord Marshal."

She spoke so softly, but there was no mistaking that voice. That _fucking_ voice that he had been hearing in his head ever since he escaped that rock; that voice that had been invading his dreams, his subconscious.

She was alive. How could that be?

Riddick clenched his fists. He could _kill_ her.

Without warning, he stood up and reached for her, pulling her up to her feet. Still, she kept her head down, but struggled in his grip. He felt her strength even from her slight frame.

"I'll be in my quarters," he informed both guards that flanked him, barely sparing them a glance. They nodded and simply watched as Riddick dragged the female Necromonger by her arm out of the main hall.

"Lord Marshall," she pleaded, keeping her voice low. "I beg of you. Please …"

Riddick sneered. She begged him once before. He caved in, then; but not this time.

Satisfied they were alone and away from everyone's earshot, he yanked her into one of the alcoves that lined the darkened hall. He slammed her against the wall and yanked her hood down. Carolyn Fry stared back at him, the fury on her face reflecting his own.

Gripping her arms, he shook her.

"How could you do this to me?" he growled at her.

She squirmed, trying to free herself from his vice-like grip.

"Do what to you?" she hissed, incredulous. There was no use keeping up the charade.

"How could you let me think you were dead all these years?"When she didn't answer quickly enough, he raised his hand, as if to hit her, but smacked his palm against the wall above her head instead, making her flinch. "You really fucked me up, Carolyn, did you know that?"

Fry couldn't remember ever seeing him this mad before; not even back on that rock. Not when he was chained in the wreckage; and not when Johns waved a gauge in his face.

Fry shoved at his chest, but he remained unmoved.

"_**I**_ fucked _**you**_ up?!" she screamed at him, not caring if anyone heard. He had some nerve. "In case you've forgotten, _**you let me go!**_"

Riddick felt like he had been punched in the gut. He loosened his hold on her.

"Is that what you think?" he asked, his voice soft. "Is that what you thought all this time?"

Fry felt her eyes start to burn with unshed tears. This was exactly what she did _**not**_ want to happen. This was supposed to be quick and painless. She'd been living in Quaoar for almost three years now. Rumor spread of a new Lord Marshal, the likes of which no one had seen before. Of course she was curious. And when she had found out that it was Riddick, she just had to see for herself.

Riddick tilted her chin up to face him. She had to see that he meant every word he was about to say.

"They _took_ you from me, Carolyn," he told her, his voice almost anguished.

When she didn't answer, he shook his head sadly.

"I didn't let you go," he insisted, wishing more than anything that she'd believe him. "I still can't."

When Fry finally spoke, there was not a trace of anger in her voice. Only sorrow and regret.

"I just … I heard about you, and wanted to see if what they said was true. I didn't think you'd remember, or that I'd mat-"

Riddick silenced her with a kiss. The arms that earlier trapped her against the wall now enveloped her in a gentle embrace.

She was taken aback for a moment, but quickly regained enough sense to open her mouth to his and kiss him back. The hands that earlier pushed against his chest were now around his neck, pulling him closer.

It was Riddick who broke away first. He laid his forehead against hers, and she felt his warm breath on her face.

"I could never forget you, Carolyn," he said simply. "How could I?"

xxxxxxx

"You're .. staying … here …. with … me." Riddick's words were punctuated with the thrust of his hips.

He knew it couldn't be comfortable for her, pinned against the cobbled stone wall like that; her buttocks cradled in his large hands as he drove into her over and over. But he heard no complaints from her; only hushed whispers of _yes_ and _harder_.

They made quite a sight. Hidden in the shadows of the alcove, his pants pooled around his ankles, her robe parted to reveal lithe legs wrapped around his waist.

Riddick couldn't be bothered to take Fry into his chambers only a few meters away. He had to have her - right there, right then. This was _years'_ worth of pent-up want and longing. There would be time for slow and gentle later. And if Fry's grasping hands and insistent mouth were any indication, she felt exactly the same way. Minutes earlier, Riddick chuckled when she couldn't seem to unbuckle his belt fast enough. Fortunately for him, the Necromongers customary robes allowed for quick and easy access.

"And if I say no?"

Fry gasped when he sucked on the sensitive flesh of her neck, just below her jaw.

"Oh, I think you could be persuaded," he answered, grinning. He pried Fry's left leg from around his waist, lifted her knee and pressed it against her, opening her up to him more so that his cock hit her at a new delicious angle.

"Oh my God!" Fry cried out, her fingers digging deeper into his biceps.

Riddick smirked. "That's Lord Marshal to you."

Fry laughed, breathless. Even while fucking, Riddick was smug and insufferable, and she loved it.

"What do you say," he asked her, his voice taking on a more serious tone, she noted. "Think you could get used to this?"

Riddick drew out his cock almost completely, before slamming back in.

Fry cried out softly, squeezing her eyes shut.

"You don't play fair."

Riddick bowed his head. "Not when it comes to something I want," he murmured into her hair, his hips never faltering.

"Queen of the Underverse, huh?" She squeezed her muscles around him, and he groaned helplessly. Payback was a bitch. "I think I like the sound of that."

His arms were now wrapped tightly around her waist, their hips undulating against each other in perfect rhythm; their bodies still attuned to the others' even after all those years apart. When she licked the sweat off his muscled shoulder, she felt a shudder run through him.

He kissed her then, hungrily, pressing her head against the wall; letting his teeth, tongue and lips hopefully convey everything words couldn't. Fry whimpered, but gave back as good as she got. He didn't expect anything less from her.

No words were uttered for some time after that; the only sounds coming from the darkened corridor were their soft sighs and quiet moans.

**The End.**

_A/N: I hope those back-to-back drabbles made up for the delay. Please review, if you're so inclined :)_


	5. 20 20

**Title: 20/20**

**Summary: AU. What has Riddick been up to?**

_A/N: Wildly OOC. I think. Anyway, you'll see what I mean. I hope you enjoy! Happy New Year!_

* * *

Julia tried to keep up with him, but Riddick set a grueling pace. The punishing heat and the sand blowing in their faces didn't slow him down a bit either. They had been walking non-stop for thirty minutes across the desert now, and she had not kept track of how far they've travelled from her broken-down Sand Cat.

"Hey! You think we could stop for a minute?" she yelled at Riddick.

He didn't even look back at her; merely pointed to the distance.

"The settlement is just over that hill. I'd like to get home before dusk, so we better move."

Julia frowned, but trudged on.

_This guy really needs to work on his social skills,_ she thought.

Granted, he was already doing her a huge favor by letting her stay over his place until some of her fellow crew members arrived; but this trek would have been a hell of a lot more enjoyable if he engaged her in some small talk. After all, Julia happened to find Riddick attractive. How could she not? He was tall, dark, handsome, strong and mysterious. She won't deny flirting with him when they first met, and maybe even bending down lower than necessary when she was showing him her Sand Cat's blown-out engine. But Riddick never reciprocated. He was amiable and helpful enough, but he was also clearly not interested.

This confused Julia. She knew she was beautiful. Hell, she was used to being hit on _constantly_. Strangely, Riddick ignoring her advances was, aside from confusing, kind of …. refreshing, actually; and something that made him that much more appealing to her. She always did love a challenge.

xxxxx

Sure enough, a settlement came into view as soon as they reached the top of the hill. He looked back at her and motioned for her to follow him into it.

"That's my house over there, under those trees," Riddick told her,

They headed over to a quaint house that sat next to a beautiful and bountiful garden plot, and was surrounded by a wooden fence. It was all so very picturesque – and not the kind of environment she imagined Riddick living in.

They were walking under the arch that led to the garden when she saw a little boy dart out of the house and towards them.

"Daddy!"

In a flash, Riddick dropped his rucksack and dropped to his knees, his arms outstretched to catch him. And on his face, the warmest of smiles.

_Huh. And here I thought he was incapable of any sort of emotion, _Julia mused.

The boy barreled into Riddick's arms, almost toppling them both to the ground. Riddick laughed, and Julia had never heard a sound so deep and so rich.

The little boy had blonde wavy hair and light brown eyes. A pair of goggles much like the ones Riddick was wearing hung loosely around his neck. He began talking a mile a minute, about going hunting and something about a rabbit in the woods. He held Riddick's rapt attention.

That is, until someone else emerged from the house a minute later. She was a wisp of a woman, with long dirty blonde hair that was piled atop her head in a messy bun. She wore a sleeveless billowy white dress that came down to her toes. Julia wiped her brow, feeling incredibly sweaty and grimy all of a sudden.

The woman stopped a few meters away from father and son. The little boy was still talking his father's ear off, but Riddick now only had eyes for her.

"Come on, Jacob," the woman called to the boy, her arm outstretched. "Let's at least get your father in the house."

Riddick stood, picking the boy up in his arms, and made his way towards the woman. She grinned up at him, a glint in her eyes. Julia heard Riddick murmur something to the woman, but she was too far away to make out what it was.

"I missed you, too," Julia heard the woman reply. "I'm just glad you're safe."

Riddick wrapped his free arm around her waist and leaned down to kiss her. The kiss started chastely enough, but Riddick soon deepened it, almost lifting her off her feet.

"Daddy? Who's that lady?"

It took Julia a few seconds to realize the boy was pointing at her.

The blonde woman was the first to break the kiss, turning towards her. Riddick placed one last kiss on her head before doing the same.

"That's Julia. Julia, this is my wife, Carolyn."

"And I'm Jacob!" the little boy piped up.

Riddick chuckled and ruffled the child's hair. "And this is our boy, Jacob."

Riddick set Jacob down on the ground, and the boy promptly ran over to Julia to peer curiously at her from a safe distance.

"I ran into Julia out in the desert on my way back. Her sand cat had broken down. She's called for backup, but looks like her crew won't be planet-side 'til sunrise," Riddick explained. "Told her she could stay the night." He tucked an errant strand of hair behind Carolyn's ear, his fingers lingering, trailing down her neck. He grinned at her when she blushed and swatted his hand away.

Carolyn smiled at Julia. "You're just in time for supper," she told her. "I hope you're hungry."

xxxxx

Julia _was_ hungry, and supper was delicious. She learned that they grew their own vegetables, and had chickens and cattle out in the back.

Although she couldn't help but like Carolyn, she felt a tiny twinge of envy. What Riddick and Carolyn had was something special. She could tell from the way they looked at each other, smiled at each other like they shared some secret, and just always happened to be touching each other, no matter how innocently. And Jacob … well, the little hunting chatterbox was obviously their pride and joy.

Sitting at their table, she sure felt dumb about hitting on Riddick earlier.

xxxxx

As soon as Carolyn locked the door, Riddick had her pinned to it and her lips captured in a ravenous kiss. Fry pulled away and narrowed her eyes at him.

"What?" Riddick asked, licking his lips. He was staring at her mouth.

"Don't 'What?" me," she admonished him. "You're gone for _three_ days and return with a strange woman? Excuse me for not wanting to jump into bed with you right now."

Riddick chuckled. Carolyn was cute when she was jealous. Or _pretending_ to be, anyway.

"She was coming on to me pretty strongly earlier too."

"She was, huh?" Carolyn pushed against his chest, albeit half-heartedly. _Maybe I shouldn't have been so hospitable to her, after all_, she mused.

"Mmm hmmm." Riddick had bowed his head and was now trailing wet kisses down her neck. He felt her shiver in his arms. "Unfortunately for her," he continued between kisses. "There's this woman I'm already really fucking crazy about."

Carolyn's dress was now bunched up around her waist, and Riddick's hands were slowly making their way up her things and towards her …

Carolyn moaned. She never _could_ stay mad at him.

xxxxx

_"Riddick ... baby, don't stop ..."_

Julia sat upright in her bed.

"_Fuck! I've missed this …"_

_SERIOUSLY? Again?! _

Unfortunately for her, they set her up in the empty room adjacent to their bedroom. She quickly learned that Carolyn and Riddick were not only incredibly vocal lovers, but that they also had the stamina and enthusiasm of teenagers.

"_Yessss, that feels SO good …"_

The previously faint rhythmic thumping against the wall gets louder, and all Julia can do is flop back down and cover her face with a pillow.

"_Oh god, Carolyn, I'm gonna …"_

Julia sighed. This was going to be a long night.

**THE END.**


End file.
